A Meiji Love Story

A/N: This is a story Sessha created after listening to thousands of different songs :) This story is a little bit of a Meiji Era twist on the Romeo & Juliet tale. Though Ive never read Romeo & Juliet, I know some of its storyline...and besides, it only makes this story far more original if I dont know the Romeo & Juliet tale, ne? :)

Summary: Kaoru Kamiya is the daughter of a rich lord in Tokyo, Japan. Her father is willing to do anything in his power to make his beloved daughter happy...except allow for her to have a boyfriend. When a young man stumbles upon Kaoru in town, little does she know that this man will impact her life far more than she realizes. They meet on accident once more, and Kaoru is for certain that this man is going to be involved in her life. With their secret meetings, they begin to form a strong friendship. However, their relationship soon changes...taking turn for the worst. Will they reforge the bond they created, or will it be lost in a hopeless thrash of seas?

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is rightfully owned by the great Nobuhiro Watsuki, and I claim no rights to his works whatsoever.

Chapter 2

Awkward Visions

"...ss...iss...Miss?"

It took some time before Kaoru came to conciousness. Her eyes slowly opened. The first thing she saw were a pair of violet eyes, large and blinking. Then, she bolted upright in her place on the ground. "W-what happened?" asked Kaoru, thrashing her head right to left, searching for the men who tried coming onto her. Nevertheless, the only thing she saw was a busy street of town's people and the short red head standing before her. The town acted as though nothing had happened.

"Are you okay, Miss? You must've taken quite a heavy blow to the head when you fainted."

I fainted? Does that mean...it all was only a dream?

Kaoru turned back to look at the man. Short he may be, he looked overly handsome at the angle the sun rays shone on him. His red head glowed brightly like fire, his cross shaped scar stood out overall, but what Kaoru could not get over were those perfect pair of violet eyes that stared back at her ever so worriedly. How in the world does he have violet eyes? He wore a simple magenta kimono with a faded gray hakama. He looked as normal as any person, but there was something rather peculiar about him that she couldn't wrap her head around.

"Allow me to help you up, Miss."

"Huh?"

Kaoru had no time to answer as his slender arms wrapped around her securely and lifted her off the ground in seconds. She gaped. Wow! He's really strong for someone who looks so small statured.

He smiled brightly at her and his violet eyes were wide with enthusiasm. "There we are," he said. "You should be fine now, that you should. I couldn't help notice those men were giving you a hard time, so a thousand apologies for interfering."

So then, it wasn't a dream afterall. It all came rushing back to her like a film rolling in her mind. The man, holding the rifle deathly close to her face, the mysterious red head who arrived to save her, the gunshot, the gasps, the screams, the fall of a man's body upon the street. Everything was played back to her as much as she had allowed herself to see and hear. The only question that loomed in her mind...?

"How did you survive that gunshot?" He blinked at her, puzzled. "Oro?" he murmured. A look of rememberance sparked in his eyes and his mouth turned into a small 'o' shape. "Oh, you mean the man with the gun, don't you? There's no need to worry. I wasn't fatally harmed by the shot, and neither were the men who came onto you."

"You mean to say that you took on all those guys all by yourself?" He nodded and Kaoru's eyes stretched in bewilderment. He smiled at this, eyes lighting in amusement. Suddenly, voices began calling Kaoru's name. She zapped out of her thoughts quickly. "Oh no...! My parents. I forgot I abandoned them earlier!" She faced him with plead in her eyes. "Please, let me down, Sir," she told him. "My parents would kill me if they saw me with a man!"

"Of course." Without arguement, he let her down gently to the ground. Kaoru regained her footing and bowed lowly to her savior. "Thank you for saving me, Sir," Kaoru said. She was about to run off when she suddenly stopped herself, twirled around, and asked him, "I almost forgot-what is your name kind sir?"

He smiled as he replied. "Kenshin. Kenshin Himura."

Kenshin Himura...

Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "Well, thank you Kenshin. I hope our paths will cross again someday."

Kenshin dipped his head. "As do I Miss..." he trailed off.

"Kaoru. It's Kaoru Kamiya."

At first he stared at her, confused. But he smiled and finished softly, "Yes. As do I Miss Kaoru."

"Kaoru!"

"Kaoru?"

She whirled on her heels, shouting, "I'm coming!" and running away. Kenshin stood in the middle of the street, watching the young maiden leave. Once she was out of sight, Kenshin took his leave as well, thinking oh-so fondly of the Kamiya girl. She seems to be quite the beautiful one, he thought. That she does.

That night, Kaoru sat alone in her room, her only company being the low melody of crickets and the bright full moon illuminating through her balcony window. Her parents had been disappointed in her sudden actions to go off on her own in town. Therefor, her punishment given was to stay locked up in her room for the rest of the evening. Kaoru sighed.

She never intended to make her parents angry. All she wanted to do was take what glimpses of the world she could before returning to them unnoticed. Kaoru felt stupid for not thinking her plan through.

Thanks to my petty desires, she thought ruefully. I've been sent away to my room for the remainder of the night. Still, she couldn't help admit she had gotten one good thing out of her failed plan. I got to meet that cute guy who saved my life without hesitation.

Kaoru found a small smile spread upon her lips. That had been the only good thing she liked about her plan: unexpectantly meeting a dashing man she could only dream of meeting in her fantasies. She casted her eyes to the round moon in the sky. I wonder where he would be now. Probably at home, I would suspect. She sighed. What I wouldn't give to have the freedom he has...

Clank!

"Huh?" Kaoru blinked.

The clanking noise sounded again, and this time her eyes ventured to her balcony window. Silence swept over the room. Kaoru perked her ears to hear clearer. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment when it didn't repeat. "Huh...now what on earth could've done that-"

Suddenly, a cloaked figure leaped onto her balcony, it's face hidden beneath it's navy blue hood. But Kaoru could easily tell this mysterious person was a man. And as she watched on, he drew something from inside his sleeve and placed it as gently as he could upon the balcony railing. He must not have noticed she was awake, for he turned around without a single glance in her direction.

In a matter of heartbeats, he was gone.

Kaoru's eyes stretched. Who was that?

Quickly and with much caution, the young girl fled from her bed to the doors, opening them wide and stepping out onto the balcony. Her breathing came out ragged, fearing the cloaked stranger was still looming around and that he had his eyes fixed on her right at this very moment. Kaoru's blue eyes flitted across the balcony rail, searching for what the man had placed on it.

Her gaze came to a rest upon a particular spot on the balcony. Glowing in the moonlight, a radiant lavendar rose stood out against the white railing. It's petals looked soft as swan feathers, glistening with fresh dew. The thorns on its stem had been expertly cleaned off, not a single pointed thorn in sight. Kaoru hesitantly placed her fingertips on its stem before she picked it up and examined it more closely.

It smelled sweet, and as Kaoru breathed in its luxurious scent, something from the corner of her eye flickered and vanished. She threw her head to the side, her heart throbbing in her throat. Something had been watching her, just as she had thought. However, whoever or whatever it was that was spying on her apparently was gone now. Kaoru shifted her gaze warily around herself one last time.

Then, with a tired yawn, she whisked around and headed back into her room, taking a glimpse over her shoulder as a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

Whoever that man was, I wonder how he found me so easily. I must take precautions from now on. Who knows what that mysterious man is after.

At the sound of her balcony doors swinging shut, a shadowy figure stepped out from his shelter among the shrubs. His amber eyes stared up momentarily toward Kaoru's room. A soft smile spread upon his lips, knowing that his work here was finished. Until we meet again, Kaoru Kamiya.

He silently thanked the mystical old woman who had given him the rose. Her name was Akemi. Though he had had second thoughts about going to her considering her reputation amongst the towns' people (she was considered deranged for practicing magic and calling herself a sage), he was surprised that Akemi's plan had worked.

"All you have to do is place this rose upon her balcony railing," she had instructed him. "When she picks it up, she will instantly become more intrigued by you and she may even dream of you."

"And as long as you are secretive about it, this woman will not have the slightest clue of your true identity."

And that is exactly what I am hoping for, he thought.

Casting away his thoughts, he disappeared in a whirl of shrub leaves and into the cool dark night, leaving no sign of his departure except for a lavendar rose. The lavendar rose landed without a sound to the grass. It's petals darkened, turning black and vanishing without a trace...

By the next morning, Kaoru was awake brighter and earlier than usual. She extended her arms over her head and stretched them out. "Mmhp!" she grunted. She looked out her balcony window. The sky burned with the faded colors of an arising dawn. The birds lovely song played overhead and Kaoru listened to the rhythmatic sounds of gardener's tools digging into the fresh summer soil further below.

Nothing could have sounded sweeter than this blissful quiet.

I should get up before dawn more often!

Kaoru was readying herself to bound to the bathroom to take a warm morning's bath when suddenly from the shelter of her covers sprouted the lavendar rose. She blinked. Then, realization of the night burned back into her mind and she plucked the rose out and examined it again.

Just who was that man I saw last night?

Now she was certain it had been no dream. But if it wasn't a dream...

She cleared her head of the wavering thought. "I better start bathing before the rest of the family wakes up!" Kaoru sat the rose upon her nightstand and proceeded to the bathroom. On entry, she came in contact with yet another lavendar rose hanging over the back of the door. Kaoru's eyebrows raised.

"What on earth is this doing in here?" she murmured to no one in particular. She removed it from the door and looked it over again. "I could have sworn this was in my bedroom..."

Waking up this early must be messing with my head or something. Kaoru decided that was the case. Absentmindedly, she placed it back where she had it before and tried to start her bath up again.

As she heated the bath water up, Kaoru started to disrobe. And low and behold, from the depths of her kimono sleeves came a flood of more lavendar roses. She gaped.

Kaoru impatiently shoved the blasted roses into a bathroom drawer and relievingly hopped into the tub. The hot water soon spread warmth over her body. She breathed a sigh and lied her head back to enjoy her pleasurable bath.

"Ah...all this silence and nobody to bother me." Kaoru grinned. "Such bliss!"

She sunk deeper into the churning waters until all that lied above the surface was her head. With a satisfied sigh, Kaoru shut her eyes to take in the wonderfully peaceful morning. This is all so wonderful! Kaoru told herself. Nothing could make this morning better!

"How about you open your eyes and tell me, is your morning better than best now?"

Kaoru's heart stopped.

Her eyes were stretched wide open in a single breath.

She screamed.

The gentlemanly man Kaoru had only so recently encountered in town the day before was now sitting right there in her tub, fully clothed but with a sinister look gleaming in his amber eyes. Kenshin smirked at her terrified shrieks. He made a move toward her but Kaoru allowed him no contact with herself, hastily retreating to the far end of the tub. She was scared out of her wits but moreover embarrassed and mortified.

What the hell is he doing in my bathroom?

"GET THE HELL OUT! AH!"

"Little missy!"

"Hey ugly!"

"My dear!"

"Kaoru, my darling! What's the matter?"

Kaoru's head swung to the bathroom door. Her two brothers followed by her parents barged in like all the flames of Hell were nipping at their heels. Her mother and father thrashed their heads side to side in search of their obviously placed daughter whereas Sanosuke and Yahiko took it upon themselves to stare oval-eyed and slack-jawed at Kaoru.

Kaoru's face turned a deep shade of crimson.

She screeched, "G...GET OUT!"

The family was sent flying out the door by the power of her cry. Kaoru sulked in the tub, her blood boiling. Ugh! The nerve of some people! For an odd reason, she felt unusually testy this morning. Why she was angered so easily seemed beyond her own comprehension.

Well, whatever the reason... Kaoru thought as she thoroughly brushed through her ebony hair sitting grumpily on her bed. ...I surely hope it doesn't interfere with my day.

And with that, Kaoru vowed to herself that she would try and keep steady control over her emotions. She rose from her bed and slid the shoji open. A downpour of lavendar roses rained down from the heavens above, burying Kaoru in all their sweet scented glory, muffling her shrieks.

Today is going to be a very LONG day...

"You old hag!" His amber eyes radiated with rage.

An elderly woman who looked to be in her mid-eighties disregarded his insult with a roll of her eyes. When she faced him, one could tell by her withered face and long gray hair that she was very old indeed. She snorted, "Whatever your here for, it ain't my problem!" She turned her back to him, grumbling.

He frowned.

"You fool," he snarled. With speed faster than god-like, he had the old woman by the throat, a gleaming sword blade pressed against her neck. He sneered. "You lied to me!"

She managed to rasp through the strangle hold, "What...are you talking...about?"

He was getting very tempted to silence her once and for all, but all temptation was held down by his fueled annoyance. "You never mentioned the blasted rose would multiply!"

She struggled against his grasp to choke out her reply. "How was I suppose to predict it would do something like that?"

Thud!

"Argh!"

The old woman slammed to the floor with a thump. The man scowled at her, a tense mark pulsating on his forehead. He growled, "Your a useless essential in my plans, Akemi." He moved toward the shouji door to depart. "If you cannot help me in this little matter, I must find someone who will." Maybe then things will go the way I want them to.

Just as he slid the shouji open a crack, Akemi was up to her feet and calling after him. "Wait a second there son!"

He cringed. "What is it now?"

Akemi relaxed, knowing now that she had his full attention. She smiled.

"If you would like something more helpful, then take this."

From the recesses of her silky kimono sleeve, she withdrew a small pouch. He held his empty palm to her and in turn she placed the lightweight pouch in it. He brought it close to his face, a look of intrest masking his amber eyes. "And what exactly is this?" he asked.

"It's a little something I whipped up during my free-time," she replied. "You'll be able to use this in a few days time."

He didn't bother to ask what he would use it for. He decided to leave the interigation to a stand still unless he needed to know its purpose. Tucking it inside the pocket of his gi, he dipped his head to her and smirked.

"Thank you. I'm sure your magicks will come in handy when I'll be needing it."

"I would certainly hope so."

Akemi bowed and the man left in a flash. Her smile grew wider. I certainly hope so...

Owari

A thousand apologies for the late update my friends! I didn't realize my little fanfiction here would spark any intrest to anyone. But I'm entirely grateful to those who reviewed, indeed I am ^-^

Queen Emily the Diligent: Thank you very much my friend ^_^ You reading my story is very much appreciated, that it is :) I'll upload a new chapter soon ^^ Thank you again!

NekoXUsa: Thank you my friend! XD Haha sorry about the cliff hanger. I like to keep my readers wondering, you know? Keep there intrest and make them think what will happen XD Thank you again :D I try my best to be careful how much I detail something (usually I detail too much on one thing and I even bore myself so I have to go and change it XD) I'm almost finished with the second chapter so i hope to have it up maybe even by tonight :) Im happy to hear you enjoy it. Keep reading! :D

Thank you two and those who have been reading! Your reading and reviews is very much appreciated, it is :D Please review with your thoughts! It only takes but a moment of your time :)

See you next chapter!

-MrFoshizzleProTheWanderor